Friday, 9 December 2016

I may of fallen into the trap of buying gifts for myself while buying for others this Christmas. With so many bargains about in the run up to Christmas and of course Black Friday too, I think it can easily be done. (I hope I'm not the only one!)

I've mainly just been picking up bits and pieces for the house and some beauty bargains too. I promise I've also done some Christmas shopping too!

I picked up two of the Clarins Ombré Waterproof Shadows in 01 Gold Peach and 02 Golden Sandat my local Clarins counter, as they were both half price. So I like to think I kind of got a buy one get one free kind of deal haha. They were a part of this years summer collection, I already have one that I purchased for going on holiday this year. I really enjoyed using that one and it really is waterproof, it didn't really crease or smudge at all and it was comfortable on yet long wearing. I was kicking myself for not picking up more shades, though I'm glad I waited now.

Of course I couldn't miss the Illamasqua Black Friday sale! I tried to be good, although they had some fantastic bargains, which were very tempting, I just stuck to four. Which included the Nail Varnish inRemains and Quagga which are from the Extinct Collection. I love painting my nails, but I'm limited to the shades I can wear while at work, so as much as I would of paid full price for both of these. I decided to not to purchase them originally, but at £4.50 a polish, I couldn't say no. Remains is a gorgeous purple Jewel toned glitter, which completely captures my heart. As well as quagga, which reminds me of petrol, with its green duo chrome finish.

I also repurchased my all time favourite Mascara, Masquara in Gain from the Metamorph Collection. It just does a bit of everything, length, volume and it holds a curl. As well as subtly tinting your lashes the more you use it, so even when you're not wearing mascara, it gives a little bit of definition to the lashes.

Finally from Illamasqua I grabbed The Corruptorwhich is their pro product. It's a thick gel consistency, that you can apply over the eyes, cheeks or lips for a glossy finish. But also layer it over other products, which it then breaks down slightly and leaves you with the most gorgeous textured finish. Especially if you want to use it for a grungy eye, it just gives everything that un perfected rougher finish which I love. I also love the packaging too, which is like an origami box, which opens up to reveal the corruptor inside. It's a bit different and something that really stands out on the market.

Ever since I got my hands on Face By Pixiwoo, I've been trying to find the Face Compact. Which is kind of like a miniature condensed version of Face. It's handbag sized and great for traveling with, it's just jam packed of useful tips and tricks, as well as gorgeous photography. It's exclusive to boots and is available online and in store, I did have a bit of difficulty trying to find it in store. But it seems to of recently popped up, so if you see it, I really recommend just grabbing it.

I can't say I'm usually one for sweet, food type scents, so I went out on a bit of a whim and purchased the Zoella Lifestyle Reed Diffuser in Homemade Treats. Every diffuser in the range comes with a matching candle, bar this one. Which made it pretty difficult to judge what the scent was going to be like. However I actually really do like it, it's quite subtle and not too over powering, it mainly smells of vanilla to me. However it does say it's suppose to be a salted caramel, baked goods kind of scent.

Last Friday Cath Kidston released the Disney collection of dreams, collaborating with the brand to create a Mickey and Minnie Mouse collection. Which was part two of their Disney collaborations, after a successful Winnie the Pooh collection a few months before. Now although I had signed up for the Pre Sale in August and had a VIP pass, it took me nearly two hours to be able to check out and by then my basket had sold out. Which may have been the most infuriating shopping experience I have ever had. So instead I decided to go to the store the next morning and try to grab the mugs, as I've collected Cath Kidston Mugs for years and there was no way I was missing out on these. But I was in luck, as I managed to get my mitts on them in store. I've never been so pleased to see a mug in my life haha. Although sadly the mugs have sold out online, you can still get a good selection of pieces from the range HERE.

Thursday, 8 December 2016

I'm back with another Glossybox opening post, the last one of 2016. (I still can't get over how quick this year has flown by!) Over the past four or five years that I've been subscribed to Glossybox (I've lost count!) the festive boxes are always good, however they've picked a winner this Christmas!

There's quite a few collaborations included in this box, which is themed Mistletoe Kisses, as it's all based around lipstick. There's a collaboration between Glossybox and Missguided, which I think I'll give a go. Ive not tried a lot from Missguided, but the things I have tried have been great for the price. Then there is also another collaboration between Glossybox and Give and Makeup, who ask for new or sometimes swatched cosmetics and toiletries. Which they then donate to women in need after suffering domestic abuse. Which I think is a lovely thing to do and I'm glad Glossybox are helping to promote the idea too.

A few weeks ago I received an email from Glossybox, asking me to complete a survey to chose which lipstick I would like from MDM Flow. There were two options; a nude or a deep berry shade, whichever one you picked would determine the contents of your box for this month. It was a difficult decision seeing as at this time of year I wear both shades religiously, however the nude shade swayed me.

GOSH Mono Eyeshadow in 014 Dark Green - £8.99 for 1.7g

Glossybox really do know how to win my heart, a shadow that's dark green and glittery, this just screams Christmas to me. GOSH isn't really a brand that I've tried a lot from, but anything I have tried again I've loved. But they're still not a brand I would go out and pick up while in SuperDrug. As I tend to stick with what I know and love in the drugstores. However this shadow is gorgeous, the pigmentation is great, you really don't need a lot at all. The glitter doesn't seem to fall down too much and cause a massive under eye mess and it blends really nicely too, which is a win win for me.

Revlon Nail Enamel in 705 Gray Suede - £6.49 for 14.7ml

I think Revlon polishes are one of those brands that you just can't go wrong with. They have such a pretty selection of colours in a wide range, from classics to brighter and even smelly ones too. I've been looking for a new nude polish to wear to work, as I seem to have every other type of colour in my collection. I love the very subtle shimmer that runs through this, it is quite a cool toned nude, but it's wearable and doesn't drain the colour right out of your hands. Plus Revlon Nail Enamels hardly ever chip, they've got one of the best long wearing formulations I've ever tried.

MDM Flow Lipstick in Bossy - £18 for 3.5g

MDM Flow is a brand that I think is a little bit more unknown, although I've heard of them and I've wanted to try one of their lipsticks for a while. It's one of those ones that I never got round to trying. (I'm still kicking myself for missing the MDM Flow X House of Glamdolls collaboration!) The lipstick itself is lovely, the formulation of it means it has a semi matte finish. It's moisturising while on and has a good amount of colour pay off, due to the formulation it doesn't drag while being applied either. The colour is quite a warm toned nude, it's definitely a little browner than I thought. The only thing I found a tiny bit disappointing is the packaging, I kind of thought it would be quiet weighty in feel. However it's quite light and just not what I expected from the look or price of it unfortunately. However I do love how fun and different it is, it really stands out on the market.

Browcote - £6.99 for 4ml

I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Lipcote in the world, however I'm super excited to try their newest product, Browcote. As soon as I read that it's a waterproof sealing gel for your brows, I was sold. I haven't got around to trying it just yet, but I hope I've not built my hopes up too much. As I'm imaging my brows never moving again haha. It'll be interesting to see how it compares to my trusty Illamasqua Brow Build, that also gives me colour and thickens too. As the Browcote just seals the brow hairs in place and won't give it any extra colour or depth.

Essence Light Up Your Face Luminizer Palette - £3 for 14g

A palette that's just £3 with three different highlighter shades inside?! Now usually I'd be a bit dubious of this actually being any good, but as its Essence and they're actually a really incredible brand when it comes to quality for the price. I'm very excited about this, especially as each shade has a slightly different finish too, giving you so many different options. The three shades are Nude Highlight; a satin natural highlighter, Rosé Highlight; a subtle shimmer pink toned highlight and Golden Highlight; a pearlescent warm golden highlighter. They're all really pigmented, although not the creamiest in feel, they are more powdery when applied. They're an incredible bargain for the selection and standard of the product.

(Swatches: Left to Right - Nude, Rosé, Golden, Dark Green, Bossy.)

I think Glossyboc has outdone themselves this Christmas, it's fair to say this box is possibly my favourite from their subscription range this year. I would really reccomened grabbing it Here.

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

I get excited for Christmas for many reasons, one particular reason however is the fact that the Lush Christmas range makes a come back. One of the best things after a freezing cold day is to have a relaxing lush bath and they have the perfect treats to make it a festive affair.

Last year I did a similar post, with everything that was available in the range for 2015. However as it is one of the biggest, if not the biggest collection lush does, I had to split the post into three parts. So I'm going to do the same this year, just with this years new products and I've updated last years list. Some products have changed slightly in design compared to last year, but the scents and their job has stayed exactly the same.

As much as I'm very excited about the new bits and pieces, I do love the reoccurring favourites every year. You can see all of last years Christmas bath treats HERE.

I couldn't quite believe it when I smelt Ruby Red Slippers, as I've had this bubble bar before, just not in the form it is now. Many moons ago Lush had a bubble bar with the same name, although it was more like a blob shape than a shoe. So it's lovely to see it back, as it's more of a spicy scent, which I don't usually love, but this one is subtle due to Rose and orange. Covered in gorgeous ruby red glitter too, it can't help but get you into a festive mood.

Snowie is of course a lovely little tribute to David Bowie from Lush. It's a lovely relaxing scent, packed with Rose, Neroli and Grapefruit oils. It's subtle but effective when it comes to leaving you feeling calm and relaxed. It's also got a subtle shimmer, adding a little bit more fun to the bubbles.

As much as I've been using the reusable bubble bar wands for a few years now. I have to say it's only really been this year I've properly gotten into using them and they're great. They're so quick and easy to use, they create a mountain of bubbles with hardly any product being used and you do get a lot of uses from them. I love how fun and colourful the Jester is, I think it would be great for kids for Christmas. It's packed full of zesty mandarin and tangerine oils, which really lift the mood, which I think at this time of year can really be needed.

Santasaurus - £5.95However I think this little guy wins cutest product of the year. Whoever came up with Santasaurus is a genius, although I do feel a little bad having to run him under the tap. He's too cute to meet his bubbly fate! He's another uplifting one, with orange oil inside him instead. He does also include bergamot too, just for a little bit of a floral twist.

If I had to reccomened one product from the new range that's a must have, it would have to be Never Mind the Ballistics. If it's anything like Rollerball, I think I'm going to have to stock up, as I think this one is going to be the most popular this year.

Tuesday, 6 December 2016

I love the Christmas range that has become a bit of a Tanya Burr Cosmetics Tradition. They just seem to get better and better every year and this year is no exception, with lots of new products and shades, as well as popular long time favourites. Plus I think this collection has a bit more of a grown up feel about it, which is nice as it includes an older market too.

There are also two other items available in the collection, however these cant be bought in store. They're either available at Feel Unique, or are online exclusives for Superdrug.

They include the Pretty Unstoppable Palette -£10, which includes a mini (and currently sold out) Martha Moo Liquid Lipstick, from the Soft Luxe Collection. But also a selection of warm neutral shadows; Vanilla Sugar; a satin champagne shade, Toasted Tea Cake; a ochre brown, Hot Chocolate and Cream; a shimmery taupe and Cocoa Dust; a dark cool brown. Finally there are two shades for the cheeks too, a soft highlight shade in Champagne Shimmer and a natural warm peachy blush in First Kiss.

As well as a gorgeous and quite generously sized golden holdall bag, otherwise known as The Beauty Hold Haul - £17, it's very Lulu Guinness like, with the baby pink lip pattern too.

Mrs Claus Manicure Polish Set - £5

The Mrs Claus Manicure Set comes in two different variations this year, but still both have a matching nail file too. Just like in the Candy Cane sets from last year, though I think I do prefer this years packaging. The two shades available are both very glam, especially for this time of year. There is Fairytale, the pink glitter polish, which was first released in the Tanya Burr Lips and Nails Eyecandy collection as a Christmas Limited Edition. It's nice to have it back, although is giving it a run for its money. It's such a winter shade, the rich burgundy with a creamy finish is lovely at this time of year.

Sealed with a Kiss Cosmetic Bag Set - £16

I especially love this set in particular for two reasons, the bag is great due to the fabric it's made from. It's easy to wipe down and that's always handy if you're anything like me and get makeup bags covered in makeup. But also because it includes two new products, as well as a handy little gold pocket mirror. The two new products though are both named Cherry Macaron and come in the form of a liquid matte lipstick and a lip liner. Which Tanya hasn't done before in her range, both are creamy and a dream to apply. As well as being one of the most festive shades of deep cranberry red.

Baby It's Cold Outside Palette - £11

This is such a cute little blush palette, with the added extra of housing a gloss too. The gloss included is the ever so popular Afternoon Tea shade, from Tanya's original line. It's a pigmented, moisturising and long wearing gloss in a pretty coral pink shade. Then there's the blush and highlight duo, which is embossed with snow flakes to keep up the winter theme. The highlight is a pink champagne shade, with the blush being more of a pink toned nude, which is very natural but a nice flush of colour too.

It's Kissmass Lip Gloss Duo - £6

I think the little Lipgloss Duo is a fun little sticking filler and perfect as an introduction to either Tanya's range or just to the glosses. As I find gloss is almost the marmite of the beauty world, I must admit I'll only wear certain ones due to their formulation. But I can happily say that the formulation of Tanya's glosses is one of my favourites. The two shades on the set are Berry Pavlova, which is the true traditional red and then there is also Candy Cane, which is a fun bright pink.

Beautifully Defined Palette - £11

The Beautifully Defined Palette is the biggest palette overall, but it's perfect to create that bronzed glow look. As the Pretty Unstopable Palette is cool toned, Tanya also wanted to include a much warmer palette in the range. It still includes the Highlighter in Champagne Shimmer, but instead of a blush it also includes a warm bronzing shade too. It also has a generous sized face illuminator, which has quite a golden undertone. As well as three shadow shades in Silk Pyjamas; a shimmery milk chocolate, Cuddle Me; a copper and Baking Brownies; a dark smokey brown.

Tanya Presents Beauty Box - £50

This year there's also a bigger gift included in the range, unlike the 2015 Christmas Collection. There wasn't really anything that went over the £25 mark and although this collection has stayed relatively the same. I think it's nice that there is this option, for more of a keep sake style gift too. It's packed full of new and exclusive goodies, such as the smokey eye trio, which is much more of a taupe and slate grey coloured palette. As well as a travel sized face illuminator, pocket mirror in a baby blue polka dot print. Plus two mail files and two classic products, Bambi False Lashes, which are natural and great as an everyday lash. Then finally a mini gloss in Picnic in the Park too.

12 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar - £25

Just like last year Tanya is back with another Advent Calendar, it's another twelve days of Christmas one. Which I do wish was a little bigger, as this has become my favourite and only beauty calendar I've purchased this year. However for cost reasons it does make more sense to have it as a twelve for calendar. So I do open this every other day, which means I haven't discovered too much of what's inside just yet, however it's always a good variation of glosses, polishes and pigments.

You can find all of the items mentioned at either Superdrug or Feel Unique. Plus they have some brilliant offers on, especially Superdrug at the moment, with money off many of the items!

Sunday, 4 December 2016

I've decided this year to split my gift guides into two parts. This post; which is more based on the bigger beauty gifts available this year, that would make great Christmas gifts for any beauty lover. As well as a slightly smaller second part, filled again with a fair bit of beauty, but more stocking filler bits and pieces.

There are so many brilliant Christmas gift's available this year, to the point where I found it quite difficult to whittle it down to just eight. I've noticed that a lot of the gifts, especially with premium brands, are incredibly priced, with so many of them being the same value as the main products themselves just with added extras.

Possibly my favourite gift of all is Face By Pixiwoo, from the lovely Pixiwoo sisters, Sam and Nic. These ladies are incredible, they've been an inspiration of mine for years and a massive influence in my career. Not only are they Youtube royalty, they're such phenomenal makeup artists who have so much to share, especially now with Face. It's a fantastically educational read, it's a must have for any makeup enthusiast, I could just stare at the gorgeous photographs all day.

Though the ladies also have one of the best brush brands around and this year there are plenty of gift sets to go around. Including the Real Techniques Artistry Set, packed full of a bit of everything. It's a great kit to either top up your brush stash or as a starter kit. It includes a range of brushes for the face and eyes, as well as the award winning miracle sponge. Plus a brush cleaner, to keep everything well cared for and a brilliant case, to keep your brushes in while travelling as well as storing plenty of makeup.

For me Christmas means sparkle and two brands that do sparkly makeup ever so well are Illamasqua and Urban Decay. This year is no exception especially with the Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Trio, the Naked Illuminated Powders are so popular for Urban Decay. So it's very exciting to get these three miniature limited edition shades in a palette. It includes Pyrite; a golden champagne, Oasis; a marbled taupe and Twilight; a coppery pink, as well as having quite a good quality double ended brush too.

Illamasqua have carried on the theme of their Extinct Collection for Christmas this year. I could of squealed with delight when I saw the Illamasqua Eyes That Hypnotise Gift Set. Illamasqua Pure Pigments are gorgeous, they're one of my favourite products and I would recommend them to everyone! These finely milled shimmery loose pigments can transform any look and are so multifunctional. Wether you want to use them in a body lotion, on the eyes, as a highlighter or even mixed with Sealing Gel as a lipstick. The three shades included are Beguile; a pearl, Fortune; a true gold and Alluvium; a midnight blue.

A brand which I think is a little unknown but screams luxury is Aerin and the Aerin Evening Rose Eau De Parfum 50ml is no exception. It's such a gorgeous bottle to have sat on the dressing table, with the gemstone top. It's a warm scent, with a softness about it, with its main note being Bulgarian Rose, as well as Cognac and Blackberry too.

For the candle lovers, Jo Malone is a go to when it comes to luxury. I personally love the Jo Malone Green Tomato Leaf Home Candle, as it's such a clean fresh scent. It's really not what you expect when you read tomato, but its homely and lovely for the new year.

Though if you're after something that smells a little bit more like Christmas. Then the Zoella Spa in a Jar is the one, the Zoella Christmas range this year is Gingerbread scented. It's warm and cosy and good enough to eat and I even say that, as someone who isn't usually one for the spicy scents. Included in the jar are a Shower Gel and Body Cream, as well as a very soft flannel too.

Finally there is also the Tanya Burr Tanya Presents Beauty Box in the run up this year too. Especially as it's currently such a bargain at nearly half price at Superdrug just now. The box is lovely as it can be reused and great just to store all those beauty bits and pieces in. But inside its packed full of goodies, such as a little hand mirror, mini lipgloss in , two nail files, an exclusive smokey eye trio set made up of champagnes and taupes, Bambi lashes and a face Illuminator too.